Choice Secrets made known.
To make true Magistery of Pearl.
Dissolve two or three ounces of fine seed Pearl in distilled Vinegar, & when it is perfectly dissolved, and all taken up, pour the Vinegar into a clean glass Bason; then drop some few drops of Oyl of Tartar upon it, & it will cast down the Pearl into fine Powder, then pour the Vinegar clean off softly, then put to the Pearl clear Conduit or Spring water; pour that off, and do so often untill the taste of the Vinegar and Tartar be clean gone, then dry the powder of Pearl upon warm embers, and keep it for your use.
How to make Hair grow.
Take half a pound of Aqua Mellis in the Spring time of the year, warm a little of it every Morning when you rise in a Sawcer, and tie a little spunge to a fine box comb, and dip it in the water, and therewith moisten the roots of the Hair in combing it, and it will grow long, thick, and curled in a very short time.
To write Letters of Secret, that they cannot be read without the directions following.
Take fine Allum, beat it small, and put a reasonable quantity of it into water, then write with the said water.
The work cannot be read, but by steeping your paper in fair running water.
You may likewise write with Vinegar, or the juyce of Lemon or Onion; if you would read the same, you must hold it before the fire.
How to keep Wine from Sowring.
Tye a piece of very salt Bacon on the inside of your barrel, so as it touch not the Wine, which will preserve Wine from sowring.
To take out Spots of Grease or Oyl.
Take bones of sheeps feet, burn them almost to ashes, then bruise them to powder, and put of it on the spot, and lay it in the sun when it shineth hottest, when the powder becomes black, lay on fresh in the place till it fetch out the spots, which will be done in a very short time.
To make hair grow black, though any colour.
Take a little Aqua Fortis, put therein a groat or sixpence, as to the quantity of the aforesaid water, then set both to dissolve before the fire, then dip a small spunge in the said water, and wet your beard or hair therewith; but touch not the skin.
King Edwards perfume.
Take twelve spoonfuls of right red Rose-water, the weight of six pence in fine powder of Sugar, and boil it on hot Embers and Coles softly, and the house will smell as though it were full of Roses; but you must burn the sweet Cypress wood before, to take away the gross air.
Queen Elizabeths Perfume.
Take eight spoonfuls of Compound water, the weight of two pence in fine powder of Sugar, and boil it on hot Embers and Coals, softly, and half an ounce of sweet Marjoram dried in the Sun, the weight of two pence of the powder of Benjamin. This Perfume is very sweet, and good for the time.
Mr. Ferene of the New Exchange, Perfumer to the Queen, his rare Dentifrice, so much approved of at Court.
First take eight ounces of Ireos roots, also four ounces of Pomistone, and eight ounces of Cutle-bone, also eight ounces of Corral, and a pound of Brick if you desire to make them red; but he did oftener make them white, and then instead of the Brick did take a pound of fine Alabaster; all this being throughly beaten, and sifted through a fine searse, the powder is then ready prepared to make up in a paste, which must be done as follows.
To make the said Powder into Paste.
Take a little Gum Dragant, and lay it in steep twelve hours, in Orange flower water, or Damask Rose-water, and when it is dissolved, take the sweet Gum, and grind it on a Marble stone with the aforesaid powder, and mixing some crums of white bread, it will come into a Paste, the which you may make Dentifrices, of what shape or fashion you please, but rolls is the most commodious for your use.
The Receipt of the Lady Kents powder, presented by her Ladyship to the Queen.
Take white Amber, Crabs eyes, red Corral, Harts-horn and Pearl, all prepared several, of each a like proportion, tear and mingle them, then take Harts-horn gelly, that hath some Saffron put into a bag, dissolve into it while the gelly is warm, then let the gelly cool, and therewith make a paste of the powders, which being made up into little balls, you must dry gently by the fire side. Pearl is prepared by dissolving it with the juyce of Lemons, Amber prepared by beating it to powder; so also Crabs-eyes and Coral, Harts-horn prepared by burning it in the fire, and taking the shires of it especially, the pith wholly rejected.
A Cordial Water of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Take a gallon of Strawberries, and put them into a pint of Aqua vitæ, let them stand for four or five days, strain them gently out, and sweeten the water as you please with fine Sugar; or else with perfume.
The Lady Malets Cordial Water.
Take a pound of fine Sugar beaten and put to it a quart of running water, pour it three or four times through a bag; then put a pint of Damask Rose-water, which you must always pour still through the bag, then four penniworth of Angelica water, four pence in Clove-water, four pence of Rosa Solis, one pint of Cinnamon-water, or three pints and a half Aqua vitæ, as you find it in taste; put all these together three or four times through the bag or strainer, and then take half an ounce of good Muskallis and cut them grosly, & put them into a glass, and fill them with the water, &c.
A Sovereign Water of Dr. Stephens, which he long times used, wherewith he did many Cures; he kept secretly till a little before his death, and then he gave it to the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury in writing, being as followeth, viz.
Take a Gallon of good Gascoine Wine, and take Ginger, Gallingale, Cinamon, Nutmegs, Cloves, Grains, Anniseeds, Fennil-seed, of every of them a dram, then take Caraway-seed, of red Mints, Roses, Thime, Pellitory of the Wall, Rosemary, wild Thime, Camomil, the leaves if you cannot get the flowers, of small Lavander, of each a handful, then bray the Spices small, and bray the Herbs, and put all into the Wine, and let it stand for twelve hours, stirring divers times, then still it in a Limbeck, and keep the first water, for it is best, then put the second water by it self, for it is good, but not of such vertues, &c.
The Vertues of this water.
It comforts the Spirits Vital, and helps all inward Diseases that come of cold, it is good against the shaking of the Palsie; it cures the contraction of the Sinews, helps the conception of Women if they be Barren, it kills the Worms in the Belly and Stomach; it cures the cold Dropsie, and helps the Stone in the Bladder, and in the Reins of the back; it helps shortly the stinking breath, and whosoever useth this Water morning and evening, (and not too often) it preserveth him in good liking, and will make him seem young very long, and Comforteth nature marvellously; with this water did Dr. Stephens preserve his life, till extream age would not let him go or stand and he continued five years, when all the Physicians judged he would not live a year longer, nor did he use any other Medicine but this, &c.
A Plague Water to be taken one spoonful every four hours with one sweat every time.
Take Scabious; Betony, Pimpernel, and Turmentine-roots, of each a pound, steep these all night in three gallons of strong Beer, and distil them all in a Limbeck, and when you use it, take a spoonful thereof every four hours, and sweat well after it, draw two quarts of water, if your Beer be strong, and mingle them both together.
Poppy water.
Take four pound of the flower of Poppies well pickt and sifted, steep them all night in three Gallons of Ale that is strong, and still it in a Limbeck; you may draw two quarts, the one will be strong and the other will be small, &c.
A Water for a Consumption, or for a Brain that is weak.
Take Cream (or new milk) and Claret-wine, of each three pints of Violet-flowers, Bugloss and Borage-flowers, of each a spoonful, Comfrey, Knot-grass, and Plantane of these half a handful, three or four Pome-waters sliced, a stick of Liquorish, some Pompion seeds and strings; put to this a Cock that hath been chased and beaten before he was killed, dress it as to boil, and parboil it until there be no blood in it; then put them in a pot, and set them over your Limbeck, and the soft fire; draw out a pottle of water, then put your water in a Pipkin over a Charcoal fire, and boil it a while, dissolve therein six ounces of white Sugar-candy, & two penny weight of Saffron: when it is cold strain it into a glass, & let the Patient drink three or four spoonfuls three or four times a day blood-warm; your Cock must be cut into small pieces, & the bones broken, and in case the flowers and herbs are hard to come by, a spoonful of their stilled waters are to be used.
Another of the same.
Take a pottle of good Milk, one pint of Muscadine, half a pint of red Rose-water, a penny manchet sliced thin, two handfuls of Raisins of the sun stoned, a quarter of a pound of fine sugar, sixteen Eggs beaten; mix all these together, then distill them in a common still with a soft fire, then let the Patient drink three or four spoonfuls at a time blood warm, being sweetned with Manus Christi made with Corral and Pearl; when your things are all in the still, strew four ounces of Cinamon beaten; this water is good to put into broath, &c.
A good Stomach Water.
Take a quart of Aqua Composita, or Aqua vitæ, (the smaller) and put into it one handful of Cowslip flowers, a good handful of Rosemary flowers, sweet Marjoram, a little Pellitory of the Wall, a little Betony and Balm, of each a little handful, Cinnamon half an ounce, Nutmegs a dram, Anniseeds, Coriander seeds, Caroway seeds, Gromel seeds, Juniper berries, of each a dram, bruise the spice and seed, and put them into Aqua Composita, or Aqua vitæ, with your Herbs together, and put into them a pound of very fine sugar, stir them well together, and put them into a glass and let it stand in the sun nine days, and stir it every day; two or three Dates, and a little race of Ginger sliced into it will make it the better, especially against wind, &c.
A Bag of purging Ale.
Take of Agrimony, Speedwell, Liverwort, Scurvy-grass, Water-cresses, of each a handful, of Monks Rhubarb, and red Madder, of each half a pound, of Horseradishes three ounces, Liquorish two ounces, Sassafrage four ounces, Sena seven ounces, sweet Fennil-seeds two drams, Nutmegs four; pick and wash your Herbs and Roots, and bruise them in a Mortar, and put them in a bag made of a Bolter, & so hang them in three gallons of middle Ale, and let it work in the Ale, and after three days you may drink it as you see occasion, &c.
The Ale of Health and Strength, by Viscount St. Albans.
Take Sassafras wood half an ounce, Sarsaparilla three ounces, white Saunders one ounce, Chamapition an ounce, China-root half an ounce, Mace a quarter of an ounce, cut the wood as thin as may be with a knife into small peices, and bruise them in a Mortar; put to them these sorts of Herbs, (viz.) Cowslip flowers, Roman-wormwood, of each a handful, of Sage, Rosemary, Betony, Mugwort, Balm and Sweet-marjoram, of each half a handful, of Hops; boil all these in six gallons of Ale till it come to four; then put the wood and hearbs into six gallons of Ale of the second wort, and boil it till it come to four, let it run from the dregs, and put your Ale together, and tun it as you do other purging Ale, &c.
A Water excellent good against the Plague.
Take three pints of Malmsey, or Muscadine, of Sage and Rue, of each one handful, boil them together gently to one pint, then strain it and set it on the fire again, and put to it one penniworth of Long Pepper, Ginger four drams, Nutmegs two drams, all beaten together, then let it boil a little, take it off the fire, and while it is very hot, dissolve therein six penniworth of Mithridate, and three penniworth of Venice Treacle, and when it is almost cold put to it a pint of strong Angelica water, or so much Aqua vitæ, and so keep it in a glass close stopped.
A Cordial Cherry-water.
Take a pottle of Aqua vitæ, two ounces of ripe Cherries stoned, Sugar one pound, twenty four Cloves, one stick of Cinamon, three spoonfuls of aniseeds bruised, let these stand in the Aqua vitæ fifteen days, and when the water hath fully drawn out the tincture, pour it off into another glass for your use, which keep close stopped, the Spice and the Cherries you may keep, for they are very good for winde in the Stomach.
The Lord Spencers Cherry-water.
Take a pottle of new Sack, four pound of through ripe Cherries stoned, put them into an earthen pot, to which put an ounce of Cinnamon, Saffron unbruised one dram, tops of Balm, Rosemary or their flowers, of each one handful, let them stand close covered twenty four hours, now and then stirring them; then put them into a cold Still, to which put of beaten Amber two drams, Corianderseed one ounce, Alkerms one dram, and distill it leisurely, and when it is fully distilled, put to it twenty grains of Musk. This is an excellent Cordial, good for Faintings and Swoundings, for the Crudities of the Stomach, Winde and Swelling of the Bowels, and divers other evil Symptomes in the Body of Men and Women.
The Herbs to be distilled for Usquebath.
Take Agrimony, Fumitory, Betony, Bugloss, Wormwood, Harts-tongue, Carduus Benedictus, Rosemary, Angelica, Tormentil, of each of these for every gallon of Ale one handful, Anniseed, and Liquorish well bruised half a pound, still these together, and when it is stilled, you must infuse Cinamon, Nutmeg, Mace, Liquorish, Dates, and Raisins of the Sun, and sugar what quantity you please. The infusion must be till the colour please you.
Dr. Kings way to make Mead.
Take five quarts and a pint of water, and warm it, then put one quart of Honey to every gallon of Liquor, one Lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of Nutmegs; it must boil till the scum rise black, that you will have it quickly ready to drink, squeeze into it a Lemon when you tun it. It must be cold before you tun it up.
To make Syrup of Rasberries.
Take nine quarts of Rasberries, clean pickt, and gathered in a dry day, and put to them four quarts of good Sack, into an earthen pot, then paste it up very close, and set it in a Cellar for ten days, then distill it in a Glass or Rosestill, then take more Sack and put in Rasberries to it, then when it hath taken out all the colour of the Raspis, strain it out and put in some fine Sugar to your taste, and set it on the fire, keeping it continually stirring till the scum doth rise; then take it off the fire, let it not boil, skim it very clean, and when it is cold put it to your distilled Raspis; colour it no more than to make it a pale Claret Wine. This put into bottles or Glasses stopt very close.
To make Lemon Water.
Take twelve of the fairest Lemons, slice them, and put them into two pints of White wine, and put to them Cinamon two drams, Gallingale two drams, of Rose-leaves, Borage and Bugloss flowers, of each one handful, of yellow Saunders one dram; steep all these together twelve hours; then distill them gently in a Glass still untill you have distilled one pint and an half of the Water, and then adde to it three ounces of Sugar; one grain of Ambergreese, and you will have a most pleasing cleansing Cordial water for many uses.
To make Gilly-flower Wine.
Take two ounces of dryed Gilly-flowers, and put them into a pottle of Sack, and beat three ounces of Sugar-candy, or fine Sugar and grind some Ambergreese, and put it in the bottle and shake it oft, then run it through a gelly bag, and give it for a great Cordial after a weeks standing or more. You may make Lavander as you do this.
The Lady Spotswood Stomach Water.
Take white Wine one pottle, Rosemary and Cowslip flowers, of each one handful, as much Betony leaves, Cinamon and Cloves grosly beaten, of both one ounce; steep all these three dayes, stirring it often; then put to it Mithridate four ounces, and stir it together, and distil it in an ordinary still.
Water of Time for the Passion of the Heart.
Take a quart of white Wine, and a pint of Sack, steep in it as much broad Thime as it will wet, put to it of Galingale and Calamus Aromaticus, of each one ounce, Cloves, Mace, Ginger, and grains of Paradise two drams, steep these all night, the next morning distil it in an ordinary still, drink it warm with Sugar.
A Receipt to make damnable Hum.
Take Species de Gemmis, Aromaticum Rosatum, Diarrhodon Abbatis, Lætificans Galeni, of each four drams, Loaf-sugar beaten to powder half a pound, small Aqua Vitæ three Pints, strong Angelica water one pint; mix all these together, and when you have drunk it to the Dregs, you may fill it up again with the same quantity of water. The same powders will serve twice, and after twice using it, it must be made new again.
An admirable Water for sore Eyes.
Take Lapis Tutiæ; Aloes Hepatica, fine hard sugar, of each three drams, beat them very small, and put them into a Glass of three pints, to which put red Rose-water and white Wine, of each one pint; set the Glass in the Sun, in the Month of July, for the whole Month, shaking it twice in a day for all that while; then use it as followeth, put one drop thereof into the Eye in the evening, when the party is in bed, and one drop in the morning an hour before the Patient riseth: Continue the use of it till the Eyes be well. The older the Water, the better it is. Most approved.
A Snail Water for weak Children, and old People.
Take a pottle of Snails, and wash them well in two or three waters, and then in small Beer, bruise them shells and all, then put them into a gallon of red Cows Milk, red Rose leaves dried, the whites cut off, Rosemary, sweet Marjoram, of each one handful, and so distil them in a cold still, and let it drop upon powder of white Sugar candy in the receiver; drink of it first and last, and at four a clock in the afternoon, a wine-glass full at a time.
Clary Water for the Back, Stomach, &c.
Take three gallons of midling Beer, put in a great brass Pot of four gallons, and put to it ten handfuls of Clary gathered in a dry day, Raisins of the Sun stoned three pounds, Anniseeds, and Liquorish, of each four ounces, the whites and shells of twenty four eggs, or half so many, if there be not so much need, beat the shells small, and mix them with the whites; put to the bottoms of three white loaves, put into the Receiver one pound of white sugar-candy, or so much fine loaf sugar beaten small, and distill it through a Limbeck, keep it close, and be seldom without it; for it reviveth very much the stomach and heart, strengtheneth the back, procureth appetite and digestion, driveth away Melancholly, sadness and heaviness of the heart, &c.
Dr. Montfords Cordial Water.
Take Angelica leaves twelve handfuls, six leaves of Carduus Benedictus, Balm & Sage, of each five handfuls, the seeds of Angelica and sweet Fennil, of each five ounces bruised, scraped and bruised Liquorish twelve ounces, Aromaticum Rosatum, Diamoscus dulcis, of each six drams; the Herbs being cut small, the seeds and Liquorish bruised, infuse them into two gallons of Canary Sack for twenty four hours, then distill it with a gentle fire, and draw off onely five pints of the spirits, which mix with one pound of the best Sugar dissolved into a Syrup in half a pint of pure red Rose-water.
Aqua Mirabilis, Sir Kenelm Digby's way.
Take Cubebs, Gallingale, Cardamus, Melliot flowers, Cloves, Mace, Ginger, Cinamon, of each one dram bruised small, juyce of Celandine one pint, juyce of Spearmint half a pint, juyce of Balm half a pint, sugar one pound, flower of Cowslips, Rosemary, Borage, Bugloss, Marigolds, of each two drams, the best Sack three pints, strong Angelica water one pint, red Rose-water half a pint, bruise the Spices and flowers, & steep them in the Sack & Juyces one night, the next morning distill it in an ordinary Limbeck or glass still, and first lay Hearts-tongue leaves in the bottom of the Still.
The Vertues of the precedent Water.
This Water preserveth the Lungs without grievances, and helpeth them; being wounded, it suffereth the blood not to putrifie, but multiplieth the same; this water suffereth not the heart to burn, nor melancholly, nor the Spleen to be lifted up above nature; it expelleth the Rheum, preserveth the Stomach, conserveth Youth, and procureth a good colour, it preserveth Memory, it destroyeth the palsie; if this be given to one a dying, a spoonful of it reviveth him; in the summer use one spoonful a week fasting, in the winter two spoonfuls.
A Water for fainting of the Heart.
Take Bugloss and red Rose-water of each one pint, Milk half a pint, Anniseeds and Cinamon grosly bruised, of each half an ounce, Maiden-hair two handfuls, Harts-tongue one handful, both shred, mix all together, and distill it in an ordinary still, drink of it morning and evening With a little sugar.
A Surfeit Water.
Take half a bushel of red Corn Poppy, put it into a large dish, cover it with brown Paper, and lay another dish upon it, set it in an Oven after brown bread is baked divers times till it be dry, which put into a pottle of good Aqua vitæ, to which put Raisins of the sun stoned half a pound, six figs sliced, three Nutmegs sliced, two flakes of Mace bruised, two races of Ginger sliced, one stick of Cinnamon bruised, Liquorish sliced one ounce, Aniseed, Fennil-seed, and Cardamums bruised, of each one dram; put all these into a broad glass body, and lay first some Poppy in the bottom, then some of the other ingredients, then Poppy again, and so untill the Glass be full; then put in the Aqua vitæ, and let it infuse till it be strong of the spices, and very red with the Poppy, close covered, of which take two or three spoonfuls upon a surfeit, and when all the liquor is spent, put more Aqua vitæ to it, and it will have the same effect the second time, but no more after.
Dr. Butlers Cordial Water against Melancholly, &c. most approved.
Take the flowers of Cowslips, Marigolds, Pinks, Clove-gilly-flowers, single stock gilly-flowers, of each four handfuls, the flowers of Rosemary, and Damask Roses, of each three handfuls, Borage and Bugloss flowers, and Balm leaves, of each two handfuls; put them in a quart of Canary Wine into a great Bottle or Jug close stopped, with a Cork, sometimes stirring the flowers and wine together, adding to them Anniseeds bruised one dram, two Nutmegs sliced, English Saffron two pennyworth; after some time of infusion, distill them in a cold Still with a hot fire, hanging at the Nose of the Still Ambergreece and Musk, of each one grain; then to the distilled water put White Sugar-candy finely beaten six ounces, and put the glass wherein they are into hot water for one hour. Take of this water at one time three spoonfuls thrice a week, or when you are ill, it cureth all melancholly fumes, and infinitely comforts the spirits.
The admirable and most famous Snail Water.
Take a peck of garden shell snails, wash them well in small beer, and put them in a hot Oven till they have done making a noise, then take them out, and wipe them well from the green froth that is upon them, and bruise them shells and all in a stone Mortar, then take a quart of earth worms, scower them with salt, slit them & wash them well with water from their filth, and in a stone Mortar beat them to pieces, then lay in the bottom of your distilled pot Angelica two handfuls, and two handfuls of Celandine upon them, to which put two quarts of Rosemary flowers, Bears foot, Agrimony, red Dock Roots, Bark of Barberries, Betony, Wood sorrel, of each two handfuls, Rue one handful; then lay the Snails and worms on the top of the Herbs and Flowers, then pour on three Gallons of the strongest Ale, and let it stand all night, in the morning put in three ounces of Cloves beaten, six penniworth of beaten Saffron and on the top of them six ounces of shaved Harts-horn, then set on the Limbeck, and close it with paste, and so receive the water by pints, which will be nine in all, the first is the strongest, whereof take in the morning two spoonfuls in four spoonfuls of small Beer, and the like in the afternoon; you must keep a good Diet and use moderate exercise to warm the blood.
This Water is good against all Obstructions whatsoever. It cureth a Consumption and Dropsie, the stopping of the Stomach and Liver. It may be distilled with milk for weak people and children, with Harts-tongue and Elecampance.
A singular Mint water.
Take a still full of Mints, put Balm, and Penniroyal, of each one good handful, steep them in Sack, or Lees of Sack twenty four hours, stop it close, and stir it now and then: Distill it in an ordinary Still with a very quick fire, and keep the Still with wet cloaths, put into the receiver as much sugar as will sweeten it, and so double distill it.